A 15-year-old girl drowned after being washed away by floodwaters due to heavy rains brought about by tropical cyclone ‘Auring’ in Barangay Landahan, Toledo City on Monday morning.
Engineer Alexander Abella, disaster risk reduction management officer of Toledo City, said Hannah Bea Villaflores’ body was recovered in Sitio Angkay at 11:40 a.m., about three kilometers from the area where she was washed away.
“Based on the initial reports we got, she was assisting a car that was passing by the area. The flood water was already at chest level and she was washed away by the strong water current,” Abella said in a phone interview.
Abella said witnesses saw Villaflores lost her balance and hurting her head before she disappeared into the water.
Several barangays in Toledo City, including Captain Claudio, Canlumampao, Cambang-og, Carmen and portions of barangay Poblacion, experienced flooding due to heavy rain showers since Sunday night.
As of Monday noon, at least 20 families were already evacuated at Barba Sports Complex in Toledo City.
Abella said Villaflores is the first reported casualty at the wake of tropical cyclone ‘Auring’.
As of 10:30 a.m., the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services (Pagasa) has lifter the storm warning in Cebu and other areas. Sea travels, except for those bound for Samar and Leyte, has also resumed.
(READ: Pagasa lifts Cebu storm warning, sea travels resume)